Apparatus for petroleum refining



C. JEFFERSON APPARATUS FOR PETROLEUM REFINING Filed Jan. 25 1921 Dec. 7 1926. l,609,822

quantities of constituents both more required :tor the re-eva of distillate into the system.

' tion to provid mma nec. 7,1926. t 1,609.8*22* UNITED STATES PATENT ortica;

UABLYLE JEFFERSON', 0l' m YORK, I. Y., ABBIGHOB T0 THB GRIBUOI-BUSELL 00H"- Im, 01m TORI, Il. Y., A QOBPGRATION 0l' DELAWARE.

Arrmrus ron rnrnonnuir nrnmie.

Application (lcd January 85,1921. lerlal 80.489.158.

The present invention relates to ap araof my invention in the accom an draw-V tus for use in the distillation of vi'iriouspsub-4 in whichp 'ymg stances and is particularly applicable for 1418 v I-'ticl 88015011111 View 0f Ml use as a fdephlegmator in o' refining 4for app tus for cil-refningin accordance withl effecting condensation of a 4rtion o the m invntlom no vapors e from the ets? end subse- 1g. 2 is a, sectional view on the line 2 2 quently re-evaporating the lighter fractions 0f 1' Flg. 3 1s -a sectional view taken on of the condensate. the e of Fig. 1 and Iii the fractional distillation of oil or F122 4 1.8 Il llama] fwgitlldml ySffctiolllll other l ces the various constituents view shcyvmg a modified; crm of ap mtas. 65 normally page fat different, definite tom.` .Referring tothe drawings, particu arly to peintures, The ve or distilled off at any Fig. 1, lthe 'ap aratus consists of an up i' given temperature es not, however, consist portwn'br she land a lower shell 2. 'Hic solely of that particular constituent-. at are here shown as cylindrical metal. whose boilin temperature the distillation castings provided at theirl inner ends with 7o takes place, ut contains very appreciable them together.

d less e lower end .of the shel1 21e-provided with volatile than the main constituent. o infly-nge 5 IEPOII which QB all 6nd plate 6 crease the purity of the distilled product it e having "a gillcchcrgcy ope 7. An inlet is necessary to repeal; thisdjgtilling pross o ening 8 islocated in. the side wall of the 7 5 a number of times depending on the purity S @11 PPIOXlmatelX mldw 0f its .helghtdesired. Such recedere en- '.llhe upper shell 1 is provi ed near itsl end tails alternate condensing' o the distilled with openings 9 und 1.0, serving as inlet and vapor and application of heat to elfect its re. Outlet means, Icupcclilvcly,v for the cooling evaporaton until a product of the desired iiu1d en iplo ed in the a paratus. Q0 urity is obtained, which method consumes Wlthlll t 0 Shell' 1 `le 1S a number' 0f arallel tubes 11 vertical] arge amountsv of heat and requires much l avmg their lower ends we ded or e anded time.

Ihe object'of this invention is-to into a circular tube sheet .12, which fits4 an apparatus of this typo in which t ainst flange 3 et the lower end of the shell. 85 ration of a portion e upper ends of tubes Il ,are fixed in .tube of the condensate is o tained' from the hot Sheet 13W Thls tube slictls constructed 1n f vapors entering the, shell, and in a cylindrical side wall 14, thus which no extraneous heat need be introduced fprmmg a chamber y15 in direct communication with the upper ends of tubes 11. Theac outer end of the chamber 15 is closed by means of a Slate 'l-restingnpon llangelif and provide with an opening 17 servin as an outlet from the chamber.l This cham r is not rigidly attached to the shell but conno stitutes a lloatin head morable verticall as the tubes con ract and expand, a llui tight joint weon the chamber and the walls of the shell bein obtained -by means of packing 18 held in ace by a packing rin 100 Il? alited to be bo ted to the upper end 0% t e Within the shell 1 and/inthe s rounding the tubes 11 there-is plac baille 20 of diameter substantiall that of the-interior of the shell. his baille, in conjunction with the side walls, of the shell, constitutes a long tortuous fluid passage through the shell substantially transverse tothe tubes. The lower end of this 11 It is also an object of the present invene an ap aratus in which the heavier portions of t e distillate and the more volatile constituents are separated and 'discharged from separate outlets in liquid and vapor form, respectively.

It is also an object of the invention to rovide an a paratus Aof this ty e of small mensions, ye space required lileing but a fraction of that at present required for apparatus accomplishing a like u It is an object of the invention to rovide de hlegmator of this type of hig over- It is a still further object to provide an apparatus of this type of simple construc-V tion, such that themajorit of its arts may be readl cast or staii'iipe from s eet metal and use directly without machining.

I have illustrated a preferred embodiment ace sura spiral equal 4to 10o' would be constructed for each length of upon ilange shell. I prefer, however, to construct the. baille of a number of vanes or umts, each consisting of one complete turn. These units may be readily cast or stamped` from sheet metal in a single operatiom When this construction is employed the baille may be made of any desired length by merely insorting as many o f the units or venes as desired. Such vanes mae be conveniently stamped from sheet met at a single stroke,

and consist of a radall slit metal late having its cut'edges disp aced vertica y an amount de nding upon the pitch ofballle desired. ie meeting edges of adyacent bailles may be connected by butt straps or by welding or any other suitable method, or may be left free of each other as each baille' is independentl held in position. Each vane is rovide with holes ada ted to t loosely a ut the tubes, therebyv owing them to be put in place in the'apparatus and providing a thin annular space around each` tube through which a stream of oil will flow at a relatively high velocity and prevent cloggingor accumulation of impurities adjacent to the tubes.

Within the shell 2is a number of vertical tubes 26 having their upper ends welded or expanded into a tube sheet 27 which rests 4 of the lower shell, and held rigidly b means of bolts 28 which serve to connect t e u per andlower portions of the apparatus. e lower ends of the tubes 26 are unsup rted and o' n directly into the interior o the shell. ese tubes are of the same diameter and are-the same in number as the tubes 11 of the upper shell Their arrangement is alsoA identical, so that when tube sheets 12 and 27 are placed ther the upper ends of the lower tubes w exactly coincide with the lower ends of tubes 11, thus constituting an essentially continuous tub lar passage from the upper end of shell 1 to the lower end of shell 2. The entire tubular`passa may be formed of single continuous tu rather than two sets of tubes 11 and 26. in which case onl a single tube sheet or diaphragm would ge necessary at the joint between the vtwo shells, the tubes being rigidly supported in this diaphragm and having their u per head `as in e present structure and open.

In the use of my improved apparatus, vapor from the retort or still is admitted to the lower shell through inlet 8 and, passing through the entire ength of the tubular ends attached rto a passage, may be discharged at outlet 17, a pressure difference being held between inlet 8 and outlet 17 for the Purpose of maintaining a steady ilow. Coo ing fluid is admitted into shell 1 through inlet 9 and, after lowin through the spiral passage formed by ha e 20, is dizcliarged through outlet l0. An opposite direction of flow may be einployed if desired, in which case opening" 10 would serve as inlet for the cooli fluid and the opening 9 as the outlet. In ot er words, either the direct flow principle or a counterdow arrangement may be employed as desired, each of the two arrangements possessin advantages inx certain instances.

e hot va ors from the still entering at inlet'8 are ree to circulate in the space within the shell 2 surrounding the tubes 26 and are eventually drawn into the open ends of tubes 26 and passed upward into tubes 1l. Here the hot vapors come into heat transferring relation with the cooling duid and a portion of the vapor is condensed. The condensate collects on the side wallsof the tubes and under the influence of gravity flows downward in a direction o posite to that of the ilow of the vapor an re-enters tubes 26. Here thev condensate is in heat transferringA relation with the hot distilled v'a ors in t e shell 2, and consequentl the lig ter fractions will be re-evaporate and passed u ward again into`tubes 11, while the liqui portion will ilow out at the ends ift tiribes 26 and be discharged through out- The separation of the lighter andheavier fractions of the 'distillate is thus elected. Increasing the quantity 'of coolinglluid supphed orsupplying it at a lower temperature will increase the .proportion of liquid disharged to vapor discharge. Conversely,L eci-ea plied result in the discharge comprising a larghezproportiori of vapor. Thus it is seen t at any proportion o liquid in .the discharge may be obtained by regulating the supply of cooling duid.. The separation is accomplished in a single apparatusand does not require Kthe addition of extraneous heat, there eecting a marked economy in time an evaporating the liquid.

'In F' 4 there is illustrated a inodilied form o my aparatus, the u 'per section, however, bein i eiitical` with at shown in Fig. 1.` The ower shell 2 is anged at its upper end and is secured directly against the tube sheet 12, there being no tubes extending downward into the lower shell'. Supported on the bottom plate 6 is a vertical core tube 29 which serves as a central su port for a solid spiral. bams 30. This b e ispreferably a unitary continuous structure and may either extend over substantially the entire length of the lower shell'or over only a t0 vapor the quantity of cooling duidslipfuel requiredv foriso ' positioned near out at their lower ends lThe vapor 'inlet 8 is e lower ,end of baille 30, and the distillateoutlet 7 is oiset from the portion 'of its l center of :plate 6 to allow the core tubes 29 to be supported' at that point.

Vapor 4eiitersat 8, p up throng? 'the ytortuous ssage formed. between ba e and the ell walls, and -from thence passes upward 'into tubes 11. That rtion of the distillate which is cond intubes-11 and falls upon perturn of the bale 30, from whence' `es its way under the inuence of\ vity downalong the spiral passage/an out at the opening 7, the portion ofthe coudensate'whichis rie-evaporated during its pe along the'baie ,mingling with the the u rente vapor and bein again conveyed upwa into tubes 1 1. l

My improved apparatus 1s embodied completely in a unitary structure ofv small dimensions -a'nd the additionv of extraneous heat is not required for the re-evaporation of the lighter fractions of the condensate. I hav? found that an apparatus in accord-V ance ith my invention has an extremely `length of the shell orialeng o highoverall eiciency and that the space required is but a fraction of that required for present equipment accomplishing a like purpose.

It is to be understoodothat the details of construction may be varied without departingfrom the s irit of the invention. The

itch of the ba e ma be constant or it may be varied along the ength of the shell, the. baiiles may extend substantialll' the entire,-

of its length, and the baille sur ace may be smooth or may be constructed in a series of blades as disclosed in the coendin application of Russell C. Jones,` rial o. 449,- 678. Other variations in the, construction may be resorted to within the full scope of. the a pended claims.

I c aim:

l.. Apparatus of the class described com- Y prising a containing shell having upper and ower ortions, heat transferring tu es with in saifshell constituting a iiuid passage, the lower ends of the tubes opening into the said lower portion of the shell, an inlet for admitting the hotvapors to. the lower portion of said shell whereby said vapors first .circulate ,about the exterior surfacesl of the tubes extending into said portion of the shell and then enter the open ends of said tubes, means for circulating a coolin medium through the upper portion of said shell in" heattransferring relati n with the tubes therein to thereby conde e a portion of the vapors traversing said tubes. the condensate thus formed draining under the influence of gravity into the lower portions of the tubes extending into said lower shell portion to thereby come into heat transferring relaa portion tion with the hot vaporsvcircula vabout said tubes and Aiiowing within sai tubes, whereby -reevaporation of the more volatile rtions of sai condensate is effec means or withdrawing from the lower rtion of said shell .the condensate which isnot reevaporated and means for withdrawing from the upper end ofthe apparatus the vapors passing said heat trans erringtubes uncondensed.

2. Inail a 'paratus for refining petroleum the combination of a containing shell havin upperand lower portions, an inlet foratE mi ting vapors to the lower portion of said shell, a vertical tubular vapors extendin into bot the u per and lower portions o thc shell,l means or bringing afcoollng iiuid into contact with the upper portion of said'pathereby condensmg part of the vapors p therethrough the condensate flowing in a in down sai( tubular assa under the influence of gravi in a 'rection opposite to that of the iiow o the vapor, means for bringing the hot incoming vapors first into contact with the outer surface of that ortion ofsaid tubular passage which exten s into said lower rtion of the shell thereby transferring eat to the condensate through the heat conducting walls of said passage to eilect reevaporation of a ortion of said condensateand then passin t said tu ular passage into direct contact with the `condensate therein and separate outlet means for removing said condensate and the uncondensed vapors from the apparatus.

3. Apparatus of the class described comprising a containing shell having lupper and ower portions, heat transferring tu es lwithupper portion the lower ends of the tubes opening into the lower portion of the shell means for circulating a cooling 'medium through the upper portion of the shell 1n therein to thereby condense a portion of the vapors traversin the interior of these tubes, the condensate t us formed draining `'under the influence of tion of the shell, heat transferring means in said lowerl portion for receiving said condensate, and an inlet for admitting hot vapors to saidlower portion, said heat transferring means being adapted lto convey said condensate downwardly in film-like form and to bring said hot vapors ntoheat exchanging relation withsaid condensate so as to reevaporate the mre volatile portions thereof, the vapors thereafter entering the tubes' in the u per portion of the shell, means for with rawing from the lower poi-- tion of the shell the condensate which is not re-evaporated, and means for withdrawing from the upper end of the a paratus the vapors passing the heat trans erring tubes uncondensed.

assage for said,

e said vapors into the lower end of heat transferringl relation with the tubes' gravity into the lower por-V 4. In an apparatus for re petroleum adapted to receive the' distill vapors, a containing shell'jliaving an n y and a lower portion, a passage 4within"'sa1d shellfol said distilled vapors consisting of a plural'- ity of vertically positioned arallel tubes opening at their lower ends into the space within said shell, `an inlet .in thelower portion of said shell for admitting the hot distilled vaporsinto the open lo'wer ends of said tubes after contacting witlrthe outer surface. of their lower portions, a baille member in the upper portion of said shell constitutinga tortnons path for conveying a cooling fluid into contact with the upper parts of said tubes, said vapors bein partially con densed in the upper arts ed the tubes and the condensate parta y re-evaporated in the lower parts of the tubes into which it flows under the influence of gravity, as.a film covering the inside of the tubes and receiving heatfrom thel va ors flowing in heat exchanging relation with both sides 0f said film. outlet means communicating directly with the upper ends of said tubes for discharging the uncondensedvapors, and outlet means communicating directly with the lower endsof said4 tubes for discharging the condensate.

5. Apparatus of the class described comprisi a containing shell having. an up er and a. ower ortion heat transferring tu es traversing "t e respective portions of said shell and constituting ,a passage through the apparatus for vapors supplied thereto, means for circulating a cooling medium about the up r end of said passage to condense a ortlon of the vapors passing upwardly t rethrough, the condensate thus formed draining back toward the lower end of the apparatus, outlet means for the vapors issuing from said passage uncondensed, -inlet means for conducting hot vapors into the apparatus, means for vfirst circulatin said incoming vapors about the lower en ofthe heat transferring tubes into the lower rtion of said'shell and then conducting sai vapors into said tubes, and an outlet at the bottom of the shell for withdrawing the condensate from the'appa'ratus. 50

y In testimony whereof Iaiix my signature.

CARLYLE JEFFERSON.

4. In an apparatus for refining petroleum adapted to receive the distille vapors, a containing shell* having an up y and a lower portion, a passage within 'said shell'foi said distilled vapors consisting of a plurality of vertically positioned parallel tubes opening at their lower ends into the space within said shell, an inlet .in the lower portion of said shell for admitting the hot distilled vaporsinto the open lower ends of said tube after contacting with the outer surface. of their lower portions, a baille member in the upper portion of said shell constitutingu tortuous path for conveying a cooling:r fluid into Contact with the upper parts of said tube=, said vapors bein partially condensedin the upper parts o the tubes and thc condensate partially re-evaporated in the lower parts of the tubes. into which it flows under the influence of gravity, as a iilm covering the inside of the tubes and receiving heat from the vapors flowing in heat exchanging relation with both sides of said film. outlet means communicating directly with the upper ends of said tubes for disl|argug the uncondensed'vapors, and outdirectly with the let means communicating (1 h h or isc urging t e lower endsof said tubes condensate.

5. Apparatus of the class described comprisin a containing shell having..an up er and a ower ortion heat transferring tu es traversing t e respective portions of said shell and constituting a passage through the apparatus for vapors supplied thereto, means for circulating a cooling medium about the up r end of said passage to condense a portion of the vapors passing upwardly therethrough, the condensate thus formed draining' back toward the lower end of the apparatus, outlet means for the vapors issuing from said passage uncondensed, -inlet means for conducting hot vapors into the apparatus, means for irst circulatin said incoming vapors about the lower en s ofthe heat transferring tubes into the lower ortion of saidshell and then conducting sai vapors into said tubes, and an outlet at the bottom of the shell for withdrawing the condensate from theapparatus. 60

In testimony whereof I .aflix in signature. n

CARLYLE JEF Eason.

Certicate of Correction.

It is herab certified that in Letters PatentNo. 1 1926, upon e application of Carlyle Jefferson, of

anted December 7 ew Yorr N. Y., for an improvement in Apparatus for Petroleum Refining, an error appears in the fpini: r

specification word tubes uirin correction as follows: Page 4 line 46 claim 5 a miiisert ghe word extending; and that tlie said Letters P'atent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oilice.

Signed and sealed thislst day of February, A. D. 1927.

a ii. J. Moons, Ewing-00mm of Patents.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent N o. 1,609,822, anted December 7, 1926, upon the application of Carlyle Jefferson, of New Yor N. Y., for an mprovement in Apparatus for Petroleum Refining, an error appears in the rinted specification requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 46, claim 5, a r the word tubes insert the word extending; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Potent Oice.

Signed and sealed this 1st day of February, A. D. 1927.

[um] 'f M. J. MOORE,

Aiitfny Gommiaomr of Patents. 

